Actuant Corp., supplier of Power Gear brand leveling and slideout systems, warned Wall Street today (Feb. 23) that its second fiscal quarter revenue will be lower due to slow RV industry sales.
“The majority of the shortfall is taking place in the RV market, where our sales are running 50% below last year’s record pace,” said Robert Arzbaecher, president and CEO of the Milwaukee-based company, formerly know as Applied Power Inc. “We had expected the year-to-year RV comparison... Read more

The Nasdaq composite’s losing streak continued Thursday and the stocks of the RV industry’s six largest firms (Fleetwood, Winnebago, Thor, Coachmen, Monaco and National RV) also declined.
The Nasdaq fell 24 points, or 1.1%, on Thursday as investors continued to worry about the ability of tech stocks to hit their growth targets in the slowing economy.
Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was essentially flat, gaining 0.2 points, or less than 0.1%.
Here is a roundup of RV company stock activity... Read more

The Nasdaq composite’s losing streak continued Thursday and the stocks of the RV industry’s six largest firms (Fleetwood, Winnebago, Thor, Coachmen, Monaco and National RV) also declined.
The Nasdaq fell 24 points, or 1.1%, on Thursday as investors continued to worry about the ability of tech stocks to hit their growth targets in the slowing economy.
Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was essentially flat, gaining 0.2 points, or less than 0.1%.
Here is a roundup of RV company stock activity... Read more

New Mexico RV dealer Jim Paxton plans to open a “destination campground” across the border in Texas around Labor Day because he could not get local zoning approval for his project in New Mexico.
Paxton, owner of American RV & Marine and American Holiday RV Mart, both in Albuquerque, plans to develop a 500-acre site in Anthony, Tex., which would include a campground and a variety of retail amenities.
Also, he will move his American RV & Marine dealership from Las Cruces, N.M.,... Read more

New Mexico RV dealer Jim Paxton plans to open a “destination campground” across the border in Texas around Labor Day because he could not get local zoning approval for his project in New Mexico.
Paxton, owner of American RV & Marine and American Holiday RV Mart, both in Albuquerque, plans to develop a 500-acre site in Anthony, Tex., which would include a campground and a variety of retail amenities.
Also, he will move his American RV & Marine dealership from Las Cruces, N.M.,... Read more

The Nasdaq composite hit a two-year low after falling 49 points, or 2.1%, on Wednesday as a result of a sell-off sparked by a government report showing rising inflation.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average also plunged 204 points, or 1.9%, Wednesday.
Most RV company stocks also declined and here is a roundup of the activity Wednesday:
Fleetwood declined 36 cents to close at $13.61
Winnebago declined 6 cents to close at $17.55
Thor declined 86 cents to close at $24.92
Coachmen declined 10 cents to close... Read more

The Nasdaq composite hit a two-year low after falling 49 points, or 2.1%, on Wednesday as a result of a sell-off sparked by a government report showing rising inflation.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average also plunged 204 points, or 1.9%, Wednesday.
Most RV company stocks also declined and here is a roundup of the activity Wednesday:
Fleetwood declined 36 cents to close at $13.61
Winnebago declined 6 cents to close at $17.55
Thor declined 86 cents to close at $24.92
Coachmen declined 10 cents to close... Read more

Maybe “Back to the Future” should be the motto for Fifties Trailers Inc., Coquitlam, BC, a Canadian company that specializes in building 1950s style travel trailers.
The inspiration to create the company occurred two years ago when Gerry Hagelund and his wife, Lynda, drove from their home in Vancouver to Las Vegas in their red and white 1956 Chevrolet.
Gerry Hagelund, 50, always liked old cars and he had spent most his adult life as an auto body specialist, making old or damaged metal... Read more

Maybe “Back to the Future” should be the motto for Fifties Trailers Inc., Coquitlam, BC, a Canadian company that specializes in building 1950s style travel trailers.
The inspiration to create the company occurred two years ago when Gerry Hagelund and his wife, Lynda, drove from their home in Vancouver to Las Vegas in their red and white 1956 Chevrolet.
Gerry Hagelund, 50, always liked old cars and he had spent most his adult life as an auto body specialist, making old or damaged metal... Read more

The Nasdaq composite fell 107 points, or 4.4%, on Tuesday as investors bet that a slowing economy will reduce technology spending by consumers and businesses.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average also declined 69 points, or 0.6%, Tuesday.
Meanwhile, RV company stocks were mixed and here is a roundup of the activity Tuesday:
Fleetwood declined 1 cent to close at $13.97
Winnebago declined 24 cents to close at $17.61
Thor declined 15 cents to close at $25.78
Coachmen declined 40 cents to close at $11.00
Monaco... Read more

Big changes are coming to automobile electrical systems within five years, possibly as soon as model year 2003. That’s the message coming out of Detroit, Tokyo and Stuttgart, as work on 42-volt automotive electrical systems moves out of the laboratory and into the production planning phase.
This also means big changes for the RV industry, as OEMs scramble to make their products compatible with tow vehicles equipped with this new high-voltage system.
The push for a higher electrical system voltage... Read more

RV dealer profit margins narrowed significantly during 2000, according to retail consultant firm the Spader Companies.
For the average dealer with over $5 million in annual sales revenue, profit margins, defined as net earnings divided by total sales revenue, declined to 2.7% in 2000, compared with 3.4% during 1999, the Spader firm reports.
In dollar terms, net earnings at the larger dealership declined 20.4% in 2000 to an average of $325,585.
However, sales revenue at the larger dealerships remained... Read more

Jayco Inc. recently laid-off 130 employees, or about 10% of its labor force, in order to reduce expenses and to bring production into line with the dealer demand for its products, according to Sid Johnson, marketing director.
However, the company, which primarily builds towable RVs, sees the wholesale market for towables improving beginning in the third quarter of this year, Johnson said.
Additionally, Jayco is going ahead with plans to open its Class A motorhome assembly plant north of Middlebury,... Read more

Monaco Coach Corp. was sued for $33 million in damages by people living in a residential area near its manufacturing complex in Corburg, Ore., according to the Register-Guard newspaper of Eugene, Ore.
Monaco is not violating any air pollution laws, but 25 nearby residents contend the odor from Monaco’s painting operations has lowered their property values.
Monaco spokesman Mike Duncan declined to comment about the suit except to say, “It doesn’t change our desire to be a good neighbor.”
Lane... Read more

Monaco Coach Corp. was sued for $33 million in damages by people living in a residential area near its manufacturing complex in Corburg, Ore., according to the Register-Guard newspaper of Eugene, Ore.
Monaco is not violating any air pollution laws, but 25 nearby residents contend the odor from Monaco’s painting operations has lowered their property values.
Monaco spokesman Mike Duncan declined to comment about the suit except to say, “It doesn’t change our desire to be a good neighbor.”
Lane... Read more